Feingold Supports Social Security Benefits For Illegal Immigrants
[Oshkosh, WI] If there is one thing this 2010 campaign season has proved, it is that Senator Russ Feingold has exhibited an innate ability to tell voters one thing while doing another. In a desperate attempt to cling to power, Senator Feingold has led one of the most deceitful and misleading campaigns in Wisconsin history.
In a more recent display of dishonesty during the October 11th U.S. Senate Debate in Wausau, Senator Feingold denied the claim that he supported social security benefits for illegal immigrants, saying: “Well of course I don’t support social security benefits for undocumented people. That’s absolutely false.” But the facts tell a different story. In 2006, Senator Feingold did in fact vote to grant social security benefits for illegal immigrants.
“This is more of the same from a typical career politician like Senator Feingold,” Ron Johnson for Senate Spokeswoman Sara Sendek said. “Wisconsin voters deserve to know the truth about Senator Feingold’s record, but he and his campaign have engaged in desperate tactics to lie and mislead. The fact that Senator Feingold would vote to send Wisconsinites hard earned tax dollars to illegal immigrants is just another example of how out of touch he has become.”
BACKGROUND
Feingold Voted To Give Amnestied Illegal Immigrants Social Security Benefits. (S. 2611, CQ Vote #130: Agreed to 50-49: R 11-44; D 38-5; I 1-0, 5/18/06, Feingold Voted Yea)
Social Security Vote for Illegals Based on Work Under Fraudulent Papers “Yet, last week the Senate defeated by a 50-49 vote the so-called Ensign amendment to the immigration reform bill. It would have prohibited those who come here illegally and work with forged or phony papers from receiving Social Security benefits. (Editorial, “Illegal Security,” Investor’s Business Daily, 5/24/06)
Senator Patrick Leahy Defended Benefits for Illegals “Under current law, immigrants who have paid Social Security while in an undocumented status may gain the benefit of all of their contributions once they gain legal status and become eligible to collect Social Security benefits. They paid in and they should be entitled to the benefits they have earned. The whole purpose of the path to citizenship program in the bill is to encourage people to become lawful, productive citizens. Penalizing these people is unfair, especially since under the law they are not only working hard and contributing to the Social Security Trust Fund, but also working hard to achieve legal status and earned citizenship. Hard work is rewarded in the country, not penalized. Following the law and advancing on the path toward earned citizenship should be encouraged, not punished.” (Press Release, “Senator Leahy on Comprehensive Immigration Reform,” Office of Senator Patrick Leahy, D-CT, 5/18/06)
Ensign Amendment Barred Illegal Immigrants from Collecting Social Security on Work Done While Illegal. Senate Voted to Kill Amendment 50-49, Feingold was Deciding Vote. “The Senate rejected Senator Ensign’s amendment that would have prevented Social Security benefits from being awarded to immigrants for time that they worked illegally in the United States. If the immigration compromise bill before the Senate were enacted into law, an estimated 12 million illegal workers would be able to use their past illegal work to qualify for Social Security benefits. Provisions in S. 2611 would require newly legalized immigrants to file tax returns for work they performed while in the U.S. illegally. And while some would be required to pay back taxes, many others could qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, which has a maximum payout of $4,400 per year.” (Press Release, “10 Reasons to Oppose Senate Amnesty Bill,” Office of Senator Demint, 5/25/06)
Senate Vote Gave Illegals Social Security “Illegal aliens could collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment if a U.S. Senate bill passed Thursday becomes law. That would be the case even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents, The Washington Times said. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., calling it an act of amnesty, tried to strip the Social Security provision from the immigration reform bill but narrowly lost 50-49.”We all know that millions of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security and Medicare taxes for years and sometimes decades while they work to contribute to our economy,” said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.” (“Senate Votes Social Security for Illegals,” United Press International, 5/19/06)
